Dry weather fuels fire risk

Sedgwick County Fire Marshal Tim Millspaugh is having an unwelcome case of deja vu this winter. "This is starting to look like that winter we had a few years ago," when grass fires riddled the county, he said.

Numbers back him up: Through early December, this winter is second to only 2006 in the number of grass fires in the county during the past decade.

As of Dec. 6, there had been 41 grass fires in Sedgwick County since Sept. 1. The only year in the past decade with more is 2006, which had 57 during the same period.

All or part of 22 Kansas counties are in the middle of a moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Most of the rest of the western half of Kansas is considered abnormally dry.

Never miss a local story.

Sign up today for a free 30 day free trial of unlimited digital access.

Forecasters predicted a Wichita winter that would be warmer and a bit dryer than normal.

"So far... that's what's happened," Millspaugh said.

Autumn was dry as well, allowing vegetation to dry out more quickly than usual, Crisp said. Winds have been consistently blustery, too.

"That's just a recipe for disaster," Crisp said.

Wichita has yet to have a measurable snow this winter, and one doesn't appear likely in the near future, said Stephanie Dunten, the fire weather meteorologist for the local branch of the National Weather Service.

"We're going to stay dry," Dunten said.

While there's a chance for rain and snow in the area Friday night and Saturday, she said, it's not going to be enough to ease the fire concerns.